News Humans

‘Little Foot’ skeleton analysis reignites debate over the hominid’s species

Researchers disagree over resurrecting a defunct species name

Ron Clarke

FOSSIL PUZZLE  Paleoanthropologist Ron Clarke excavates the skull of a hominid skeleton known as Little Foot. Controversial new investigations of the adult female conclude that she lived in southern Africa nearly 3.7 million years ago and belonged to a species that many researchers don’t regard as valid.

University of the Witwatersrand

By Bruce Bower

- More than 2 years ago

A nearly complete hominid skeleton known as Little Foot has finally been largely freed from the stony shell in which it was discovered in a South African cave more than 20 years ago.